Published: Thursday 24 October 2019
Staff and volunteers at Kensington Town Hall have been getting their gardening gloves on to create a brand new habitat for bees and insects.
More than 10,000 bulbs will be planted on Thursday 24 October, including bluebells, snowdrops, crocuses, summer snowflake, wild daffodils, and grape hyacinth.
The new blooms will create a food source for pollinating insects creating a bee and butterfly hotspot at the Town Hall.
The bulbs will flower at different times to provide a continuous display of colour in late winter through to early summer, providing a much-needed food source for pollinating insects.
Lead Member for Environment Cllr Cem Kemahli got involved in the planting. He said:
“Our staff are clearly passionate about improving our environment and today’s event will not only make the area look beautiful in the spring, it will feed nature too.
“Whether it’s our long-term targets on air quality and climate change, or staff coming together to create a beautiful garden in just a day, it’s all part of making our borough cleaner, greener and the best environment to live in.”
There are more than 9,000 species of wild pollinators, which includes bees, butterflies, moths, flies and other insects. Some are so small you would hardly notice them, but they form a vital part of our ecosystem.
Ecology Service Manager Leanne Brisland said:
“These flowers are great for bumblebees; Crocus flowers close at night and only fully open in sunshine, so bumblebee queens can spend the night in these floral cocoons, before breakfasting on nectar in the morning sun.
“Pollinating insects are so important for our ecosystem and without them many of our crops and wildflowers are at risk. Bulbs also help relieve soil compaction and will improve drainage in this area so that rainwater can disperse back into the ground.”
All of the bulbs planted at Kensington Town Hall will naturalise over time meaning they will multiply and increase their display for many years to come.
The new blooms have been planted ahead of the Council’s Biodiversity Action Plan, expected next year, which will identify steps we can all take to help pollinators thrive.